Pee-Wee Herman News

Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Stephen Eich, Executive Director) announced that full casting is complete for the new musical DANGEROUS BEAUTY by Jeannine Dominy (book), Amanda McBroom (lyrics) and Michele Brourman (music).

Back in the days of Henry Miller, it was one of the great Broadway traditions for him and other men of the theatre to name playhouses for themselves.  I won't discount that perhaps some ego-stroking was involved, but it was also a shrewd business move.  The popular actor/producer was telling the public that even if he wasn't appearing in the house's current offering, the production arrived with his seal of approval.  This wasn't just some play paying money to rent his space; Henry Miller believed this to be quality theatre.

The all new 21st Season of Broadway Beat is here! This week catch up with Broadway Beat at Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, The Divine Sister and Pee-Wee Herman!

Peter Billingsley, the actor who starred as the nine-year-old bespectacled hero "Ralphie" in the 1983 irreverent holiday film classic A Christmas Story, has signed on as a producer of the new musical adaptation of the perennial favorite, currently in previews at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre.

Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Stephen Eich, Executive Director) announced principal casting for the new musical DANGEROUS BEAUTY by Jeannine Dominy (book), Amanda McBroom (lyrics) and Michele Brourman (music). Joining the principal cast, with previously announced lead actress Jenny Powers (Broadway's Grease) as Veronica Franco, are James Snyder (Drama League Award-nominee for Broadway's Crybaby) as Marco, Bryce Ryness (Drama Desk Award-nominee for Broadway's Tony Award-winning revival of Hair) as Maffio, Laila Robins (Broadway's Heartbreak House) as Paola, Michael Rupert (Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Sweet Charity) as Domenico, Megan McGinnis (Ovation Award-nominee for the Rubicon Theatre's Daddy Long Legs) as Beatrice, John Antony (Broadway's Passion) as Pietro and Morgan Weed (Second Stage Theatre's Next to Normal) as Giulia. Tony Award-nominee Sheryl Kaller directs the world premiere, which begins performances on February 1, 2011 with the official press opening on February 13, 2011 at Pasadena Playhouse (39 S. El Molino Avenue).

BroadwayWorld.com is pleased to present illustrator Ken Fallin, who brings you original illustrations of everyone's favorite theatrical stars each week. This week's feature: Paul Reubens as Pee-Wee Herman in THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW!

SIRIUS XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced today that Pee-wee Herman will sit down for a lighthearted Q&A about The Playhouse with Raw Dog Comedy host Mark Says Hi! on Friday, November 19 at 6:00 pm ET on Raw Dog Comedy, SIRIUS channel 104 and XM channel 150. SIRIUS XM listeners will hear Pee-wee share stories, tidbits and behind-the-scenes details about his iconic Playhouse characters, including 'Miss Yvonne,' 'Chairry,' 'Jambi,' 'Conky', 'Clocky' and 'Pterri the Pterodactyl.' Additionally, Pee-wee will share his musings on material as varied as his recipe for ice cream soup, his Magic Screen's ability to run more than one app at a time, and his perplexing loss of interest in his rubber band ball.

While the campy antics of Devil Boys From Beyond may suggest an unlikely blend of screwball classics like His Girl Friday with infamous sci-fi fare such as Plan 9 From Outer Space, the movie title that kept popping into my mind was Clash of The Titans.  Not because of the mythical physiques of beefy boys Jeff Riberdy and Jacques Mitchell, but because this honey of a laff-riot matches esteemed associates from the schools of Off-Broadway's two most significant drag theatre artists.

'They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway' and nothing could be truer as you gaze through this dazzling gallery of new photos taken by Monica Simoes of Broadway at night. Before Times Square started looking like Piccadilly Circus and Tokyo at night, it was the Broadway theatres that lit up the Great White Way. These pictures prove that the legend of Broadway has not lost it glitter.

Sure, in America the guilty have just as much a right to a fair trial as the innocent.  But when someone you believe is guilty doesn't get one, is that a wrong you can be all that enthused about righting?  That's one of the discussion points that might be mulled over by leftist radicals downing shots of vodka after taking in Amy Herzog's After The Revolution.  Unfortunately, this tantalizing moral dilemma is regulated to a throwaway point in a play that teases us with its political content while contenting itself with being a rather formulaic family drama.  It's a good one, for sure; well-written (despite an unsatisfying ending) with absorbing conflicts and director Carolyn Cantor's excellent cast is always engaging, but every so often the play reminds us of an interesting direction the author decided not to take.

In this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly (November 19th is the cover date), THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS makes the magazine's 'The Must List'. Writing about the show, the magazine notes that 'As musicals go, the telling of the painful history of nine black men falsely accused of rape in 1931 could seem a challenge. But Boys is a moving, subversive look at America's racist past, set to a glorious score.'

Film and television icon Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) brings his signature brand of hilarious mayhem to Broadway for a special limited engagement of the acclaimed stage play, The Pee-Wee Herman Show. The production began previews October 26 at the Sondheim Theatre and opened Thursday, November 11. Below, Broadway Beat brings you video coverage of the after party!

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON, which opened on Broadway on October 13, uses the story of America's controversial seventh president-the man who invented the Democratic Party, doubled the size of our nation and signed the Indian Removal Acts that started the Trail of Tears - to investigate the attraction and terrors of American populism, using a raucous blend of outrageous comedy, anarchic theatricality and infectious emo rock. A co-production with Center Theatre Group and in association with Les Freres Corbusier, BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON is written and directed by Alex Timbers and features music and lyrics by Michael Friedman. Check out the video below to hear from BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON director Alex Timbers.

Film and television icon Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) brings his signature brand of hilarious mayhem to Broadway for a special limited engagement of the acclaimed stage play, The Pee-Wee Herman Show. The production began previews October 26 at the Sondheim Theatre and opened last night, November 11. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage of the after party!

Film and television icon Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) brings his signature brand of hilarious mayhem to Broadway for a special limited engagement of the acclaimed stage play, The Pee-Wee Herman Show. The production began previews October 26 at the Sondheim Theatre and opened last night, November 11.

Based on Reubens' 1981 cult classic stage production, The Pee-Wee Herman Show, with new elements from the ground-breaking CBS show 'Pee-wee's Playhouse' added generously, this new production is written by Paul Reubens and Bill Steinkellner, with additional material by John Paragon. Directed by Alex Timbers (Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson), The Pee-Wee Herman Show will feature music by Jay Cotton and the work of renowned puppetry artist Basil Twist. Direct from its acclaimed, sold-out run in Los Angeles, The Pee-Wee Herman Show began its 48-performance limited run on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 and officially opened on Thursday, November 11 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43rd street). The engagement will run through January 2.

Film and television icon Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) brings his signature brand of hilarious mayhem to Broadway for a special limited engagement of the acclaimed stage play, The Pee-Wee Herman Show. The production began previews October 26 at the Sondheim Theatre and opens tonight, November 11.

Film and television icon Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) brings his signature brand of hilarious mayhem to Broadway for a special limited engagement of the acclaimed stage play, The Pee-wee Herman Show. The production began previews October 26 at the Sondheim Theatre and opens tonight, November 11. BroadwayWorld brings you a photo album from the show below!

In a feature out in the LA Times today, Stephen Sondheim opened up about his year in the spotlight, The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway, the upcoming revival of Merrily We Roll Along and more.

The Pee-Wee Herman Show, now running a limited engagement at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on Broadway, is not geared towards anyone who is currently a child. It is, however, very much geared towards the inner child inside any one who cheered for Paul Reubens' iconic man-child character as he entertained us for five years on CBS' 'Pee-Wee's Playhouse' or in the movies 'Pee-Wee's Big Adventure' and 'Big Top Pee-Wee'. The show brings out the child inside all of the eager fans who comprise a cult following that began with the birth of Pee-Wee on stage at the Groundlings in 1981, even though some of the costumed-clad enthusiasts who attended the preview performance I saw this month were not even alive yet when Pee-Wee made that midnight debut.